The fatal shooting on Jan. 5 was the result of a drug deal that went bad, according to prosecutors. Elliott, 26, allegedly stole two bags of marijuana, with a street value of $2,000, from Hodge who then fired several shots with one hitting him in the back of the head.
About 60 people crowded into Butler County Common Pleas Judge Keith Spaeth’s courtroom for the sentencing. Members of both Elliott’s and Hodge’s family cried during the lengthy hearing.
An employer of Hodge and his father said the young man worked hard in the masonry field and is very talented.
Hodge Sr. said his son was raised to work every day, but drug and gun carrying are a problem in Lincoln Heights where they live.
“In my neighborhood everyone has a gun,” Hodge Sr. said, he added he told his son that he didn’t need a gun to solve disagreements.
Sheila Hodge, Morris’ mother, turned to the Elliott family and offered her apology.
“I would like to apologize to the Elliott family for my son’s actions,” she said. She added while there were times her son and husband struggled with money issues, “he could have found other means. He wasn’t raised like that.”
Spaeth told the parents, “what I have to do today is not a reflection of your family. But his actions resulted in the loss of life. You can’t protect your dope sales with a gun and a bullet to the back of the head.”
Elliott’s father, Ricky Foster, said, “My son didn’t deserved to die. It is just terrible. All this gun violence is terrible.”
Hodge offered an apology to both his family and the Elliott family.
“I apologize to the Elliott family,” Hodge said. “My heart goes out to everyone one of you … I am 100 percent sorry.”
He turned to his family and said, “I feel bad for not setting a good example for each and every one of you.”
Elliott’s fianece and the mother of his two children, Samantha Leavell, said she did not accept Hodge’s apology.
“The family has been destroyed,” Leavell said sobbing. She told the judge Elliott did whatever he could to support his children.
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